


Burn

by firetalks



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: AU, Cabin/Camping, Fluff, M/M, Summer AU, Sunburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-14
Updated: 2012-06-14
Packaged: 2017-11-26 09:52:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/649323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firetalks/pseuds/firetalks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And now, with the morning sun just waking up and peering shyly through the trees, Arthur can feel its heat, trapped beneath Merlin's usually pale skin, remnants of yesterday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Burn

**Author's Note:**

> So I made [this](http://merlsy.tumblr.com/post/24776857546/in-the-middle-of-summer-all-was-golden-in-the-sky) photoset over on tumblr and things just spiraled completely out of control. So yeah. Thank you to my darling Chelsea for the quick beta and for basically everything ♥

Merlin's skin is too warm, almost burning against Arthur's fingers as he brushes lightly against the pink flesh on Merlin's back. His shoulders are also flushed and Arthur touches them carefully, avoiding the areas that he suspects are the most tender.

He'd insisted they'd been out on the dock for too long, stretched out to dry, growing lazy and liquid as the afternoon gave way to evening and the frogs grew louder and the lake began to lose its shimmer. But Merlin had swatted his hand away, pulled Arthur down on top of him and kissed him softly, with lips that tasted like the sun itself and well, that was that.

They had sprawled out on the dock and listened to the leaves rustle in the trees and midway through the day, Merlin had grown tired of the constant threat of splinters and hijacked Arthur's towel. He'd crawled on top of Arthur and murmured apologies for leaving his own towel at the cabin, but Arthur's only protest to this invasion was the fact that Merlin could never keep his head still when he talked and allowed the sun to blind Arthur on numerous occasions. 

But when Arthur noticed the sun was fading, he convinced Merlin that they should head back, despite Merlin's pleas for 'one more quick snog, before the mosquitoes find us.' Arthur reminded Merlin that mosquitoes weren't the only thing they needed to worry about at night and then he'd had to practically chase after Merlin as they made their way back to the soft glow of their cabin.

And now, with the morning sun just waking up and peering shyly through the trees, Arthur can feel its heat, trapped beneath Merlin's usually pale skin, remnants of yesterday. He leans forward and tentatively, gently presses his lips to Merlin's warm shoulder and Merlin flinches in his sleep.

Arthur smiles softly, his lips stretching across Merlin's back and he realizes the drag of his lips must irritate Merlin's sensitive skin, especially when he makes a noise that suggests he's on the verge of waking up, slow and stubborn. He presses his lips lightly again, once, twice and blows cool air onto the area his lips leave slightly damp. Merlin sighs and the muscles in his leg tighten as he stretches awake, his breath hitching slightly as he blinks his eyes open.

"'Morning," Arthur murmurs, lips dancing on Merlin's shoulder blade. He can't tell if Merlin's eyes are still open, but he's had plenty of time to memorize the way Merlin wakes up after a long sleep so he knows Merlin is stirring.

Merlin hums, smiles at the way Arthur curves his hand over his hip and leans back into Arthur's mouth. The slide of his skin on the sheets rips a shocked gasp from him and he draws forward, pained. "Ow, fuck."

"Shh," Arthur coos, chasing after him with soft lips and cautious fingers. "It's just sunburn. I told you we were out there too long."

"Is it bad?" Merlin counters, ignoring Arthur's jest.

Arthur pauses to survey the damage. "Not as bad as that time in Costa Rica," he says, touching between Merlin's shoulders with the pad of his index finger. Merlin winces as Arthur watches the white imprint of his finger slowly fade back to pink. "You'll be fine."

"Don't touch it," Merlin says, though it sounds like a question because his voice is still thick with sleep and he sounds weak with it.

"I won't," Arthur replies with a grin that he presses into Merlin's back. 

"Arthur!" Merlin protests, shifting forward but somehow that's painful, the drag of his arm on the rough sheets and he whines again. Arthur's fingers grow tight around Merlin's hipbone and he grounds him, mouthing softly against the flesh before him. Merlin chokes out a soft "Don't."

"Not touching," Arthur insists, opening his mouth to tongue at the heat. Merlin hisses, back arching. "Just... tasting."

Merlin shudders and closes his eyes. "Did we bring anything? You know, for sunburn?"

Arthur hums, blows cool air on the damp of Merlin's skin again and Merlin shivers. Arthur loosens his fingers on Merlin's hip and they gently tiptoe up his stomach, to his chest. "You were certain we wouldn't need any this time," Arthur reminds him, moving up to kiss the nape of Merlin's neck. Merlin whimpers in dismay. "So naturally I brought some anyway," Arthur finishes.

Merlin laughs softly and Arthur kisses just behind his ear. The sun is higher in the sky now, more daring as it pokes through the line of trees outside the cabin.

"You never listen to me, do you?" Merlin asks through a smile as Arthur mouths carefully at the curve in his neck. 

"Merlin, the day I start listening to you will be the day that you start listening to me."

Merlin smiles wider, reaching up to fumble with Arthur's fingers splayed across his chest. Just as Arthur is about to make good work of Merlin's tempting earlobe, Merlin says, "I should probably shower. Try to get some of the heat out," and then, as he's sitting up to get out of bed, "When I'm finished, will you —?" as he gestures to his back.

Arthur watches him, watches the lean pull of his back muscles as they straighten him upright on the edge of the bed, watches how his arms flex as they push him up. From this angle, he can see just how pink Merlin's back is and it doesn't look as bad as he thought. Merlin looks over his right shoulder, trying to gauge it himself, but turns his eyes to Arthur, waiting for an answer.

Pink flesh, taut back, limbs for miles. Arthur gazes at Merlin with shaded eyes.

"What?" Merlin asks, and although it sounds a bit defensive, Merlin's small grin suggests something else.

Arthur smirks, reaches out and presses a single finger to Merlin's exposed back and Merlin yelps, swatting his hand away. He hops off the bed and looks at Arthur, assaulted.

"Fuck, Arthur, that _hurts_ ," Merlin scolds, frowning.

"You're exaggerating," Arthur says, rolling his eyes. "I barely touched you."

"Yes, I know. And it hurt."

"I'm sorry," Arthur says with a smile that says he's not. "C'mere."

"No, you're just going to do it again," Merlin says, skepticism etched into his brow.

"I'll be gentle, I promise," Arthur offers, extending a hand for Merlin to take. "Just come back to bed. It's too early."

"But my back, Arthur, it—"

"Just... come here," Arthur instructs and Merlin reluctantly does as he's asked and crawls back under the sheets Arthur lifts for him. Merlin faces him and Arthur wastes no time in kissing Merlin well on the mouth, lips as soft as they had been when they were dancing across Merlin's back moments before. Merlin's lips still taste like the sun and Arthur could kiss him until his mouth burns.

It doesn't take long before Merlin is moaning softly while Arthur licks slow and firm into his mouth. He's careful not to shift too suddenly or scratch his skin against the sheets when he arches into Arthur's touch. But the way Arthur is kissing him, the way he's pressing his fingers into Merlin's thigh, pulling his leg up so Arthur can push his between... it makes Merlin react too quickly, too eager, and he suffers the consequences, gasping at the pain that sparks across his back and shoulders as he shifts that much closer. Arthur nips at Merlin's bottom lip and kisses his chin, his jaw, his fingers ghosting along Merlin's ribs, up his side.

And just as Merlin thinks their morning snog is coming to a close, Arthur sinks his fingernails into the dip between Merlin's shoulders and drags them down to the small of his back. Merlin starts to howl in pain but Arthur licks up the column of his throat, wet and heavy-tongued and when he bites down on Merlin's throat, the howl turns into a strangled moan that rattles through his entire body.

Arthur groans at the sound.

Merlin's entire back is on fire and it aches, the scrapes of Arthur's fingers still stinging along their path down his back and he hisses, something filthy and dangerous.

" _Fuck_ ," Merlin moans, sticky breath on Arthur's face. Arthur digs a finger into the dip of Merlin's back and swallows Merlin's moan when he reacts, hips bucking against Arthur's leg. His cock is hard and Arthur's teeth crash into Merlin's, graceless and sharp.

Merlin manages to bite away Arthur's greedy lips for a moment to laugh, breathless, "Is this your way of tending to my back? Scratching it raw?"

Arthur bites back, brushes his nose against Merlin's. "No," he says, "This is me letting you know you're not allowed outside today."

When Arthur claws down Merlin's back again, the noise Merlin makes suggests he's okay with this decision.


End file.
